Songs Live Longer Than Kingdoms
by luxsolis
Summary: "A piano? In the West Courtyard you say? How curious." Which was neither a confirmation nor a denial on the old coots part. Theo had expected as much though. Others had been disappointed by the old Wizards reply, yet Theo knew better. Cats and Albus Dumbledore never gave straight answers.


**Songs Live Longer Than Kingdoms**

Story Set Up: Voldemort died the night he killed Harry's parents. Harry was raised by Sirius Black. No more Dark Lord, everyone is living life as normal, normal school house rivalries. Hermione got sorted into Ravenclaw. Hermione's Father is Russian, and her Mother is dead. Also, glamorous Hermione. She will still have faults and hardships, just wearing ugly clothes, and horrid hair won't be one of them. That's been done, over and over again.

There will be a IMGUR Board and a YOUTUBE playlist for this story! Eventualy, when I have a free moment.

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Chapter 1: Hands of Grace, Hands of Lace

The Piano had just appeared. One day the courtyard between the Great Hall, and the West Wing of the castle stood empty save for the single tree in the middle of the paved yard. The next day, there was a piano stationed next to the lonely tree. Word spread quickly, students and teachers alike made their way to the courtyard throughout the day to take a look. How it came to be there was a mystery. When the Headmaster was asked if he had put it there his reply had only been;

"A piano? In the West Courtyard you say? How curious."

Which was neither a confirmation nor a denial on the old coots part. Theo had expected as much though. Others had been disappointed by the old Wizards reply, yet Theo knew better. Cats and Albus Dumbledore never gave straight answers. The next popular theory was that perhaps the castle had put it there. There was nothing else quite like Hogwarts in all of Magical Britain. The castle was one of the oldest standing buildings in the whole country. Generations of magical usage in and around the Castle had seeped into the walls and grounds. The stairs moved as they pleased, whole corridors had been known to go missing, classrooms grew and shrunk in size at a whim. (No student or teacher's whim though, the Castle seemed to have a personality of its own, and one never knew what might upset it) And the suits of armor had been known to trip an unsuspecting student or two.

Theo had approached the Piano once before, at night at the end of one of his Prefect rounds. He had ran his hands over the smooth dark wood, and ivory keys. As beautiful a piece as it was, there seemed to be no magic in it. He touched and listened and felt for that undercurrent of enchantment, but non came. For all that, the Piano never got damaged from being out in the open air courtyard. The rain did not seem to harm it, the air and ever changing temperatures of Scotland did not sour its sound. No it sounded lovely, and played true, for Theo had heard it played. Every once in a while a student would muster up the courage to sit and give it a go.

That was what was drawing him towards the West Courtyard now, during his Prefect Rounds. It was after 1 in the morning, and this was to be the end of his last round of the night. Theo had been about to head down the steps leading to the dungeons when he heard a soft tinkling of a sound, barely a whisper really. Anyone else would have thought it was the wind. Theo had always been a curious one though.

Slowly he walked down the long corridor, and as he reached its end, the sound became louder and louder, someone was playing the Piano. Theo followed the music, the melody was quite lovely, a tune that blended hopeful and wistfulness with a tinge of regret. Wishing to see, but not be seen, Theo made a slight detour, taking a stairway that lead to the corridor that ran along the courtyard, with big open stone archways that looked over the yard.

The glow of the enchanted torches that hung on the walls lit the courtyard up perfectly, even without the bright half moon up above, Theo would have had a clear view of Hermione Granger playing after curfew. Hair down, as always in wild curls and waves of chestnut and umber, her dark black robes were off and neatly folded on top of the Piano. Theo's eyes raked up and down her form, it was a Saturday, she was out of her school uniform and in her, 'muggle' attire. Something Theo normally detested. He had never had experience with Muggles before. His bloodline was as old and pure as the Blacks, one of the oldest families in Wizarding Britain, though his own roots were Germanic.

His first run in with anything Muggle had been his first year at Hogwarts. Muggle-born and Half-blood students prancing around wearing garishly colored clothes, using weird writing apparatuses, and wearing tacky plastic jewelry. His first time encountering Jeans was something he had mixed feelings about. They looked rough and unrefined, and yet when the girls wore them, one could not help but admire the way they clung to the female form…

Granger was not wearing jeans tonight though, it was unusual to ever see her in jeans, she seemed to prefer dresses and skirts. She was the exception to Theos near total dislike of Muggle clothing. Hermione Granger was an exception to many of Theo's notions and preferences actually, she was an anomaly. Tonight she wore a simple black dress with long lace like sleeves that were scrunched up her forearms, and a key hole gap in the front of her dress, not so low as to be immodest though. Her dress ended a few inches above her knees, a bit short on her 5'7 frame but she wore sheer black tights that encased her long legs, making it appear much more modest.

And her hands, that were dancing over the black and white ivory keys, were encased in gloves made of fine black lace, in the pattern of a net. Mismatched with the lace of her sleeves, yet somehow working with the outfit as a whole. Theo's fingers twitched where his hands rested on the cold stone ledge of the archway. Her shoes, black velvet heels were kicked off, and her feet encased in the sheer black tights were crossed at the ankle, underneath the piano seat. It's funny how much that gesture made the scene look so intimate.

The first time Theo had noticed Granger was while waiting in line to be sorted. He stood in the back of the group of first years, along with the other children from Noble Houses, at least those that mattered. They all grew up together, and all knew each other. Together they stood looking over and studying those that would be going to school with them.

Some of the other children were known and recognizable, but of no consequence. Such as the Weasley boy. His blood may be as pure as Malfoy's or Nott's, but his family's name had fallen into disrepute, letting the old ways fall to the side of the road, and taking up with people of questionable backgrounds and beliefs. Then there were the children that no one knew, and if Theo and his friends did not know them, then they obviously were not people worth knowing. Granger had caught not only his eye then, but a few other High Born as well. She was standing with Neville Longbottom. Neville came from a good family, even if he was half a stone throw away from being a squib. The girl standing next to him was absolutely tiny. (Around 5th year she would have a ridiculous growth spurt) Tiny though she was, just looking at her, anyone could tell she came from good breeding.

She stood straight with her shoulders back, her head lifted high. She looked around herself curiously, but did not openly gape as many other students had. Her robes were black as night, and of good material, Theo spotted the tell tail dark blue embossed emblem of Tout Ce Qui Brille on the bottom left corner of her robe. A very exclusive Parisian designer, who's only stores were located in Paris and New York.

Her hair was a mass of curls the color of Mr Malfoy's dark gold label Fire Whiskey, that he kept in a crystal goblin made decanter, only to be brought out for special occasions. A lone silver hair pin sat in her hair keeping it out of her face, dark green emeralds glittered and decorated the piece in the shape of a feather. Neville leaned over and whispered in her ear, his hand resting on her elbow.

Theo glanced to his left at his best mate and surrogate brother Draco. Draco simply raised his eyebrows slightly. To anyone else he would simply look bored, but Theo knew better. Draco was intrigued. They both looked back to the pair, questions running through both their heads. Her name was called soon enough, Granger, Hermione Granger. The only Granger Theo knew of was Hector Dagworth-Granger, the famous potioneer. He was dead at least 150 years now though, and Theo knew of no other from the line. Curious.

She ended up being a hat stopper. The hat was on her head for a full 4 minutes before the ripped up mouth bellowed out Ravenclaw. Not Slytherin, which would have confirmed her good name and upbringing, but Ravenclaw was a decent house. The only other respectable option really. Had she been a Gryffindor, or god forbid a Hufflepuff, well, that would have said enough about her character. Poor Neville's shoulders slumped when her house was called out. No, he would definitely not get into Ravenclaw, Theo mused.

The second time Theo had really noticed Granger had been in Charms. The first class of the year that Slytherins and Ravenclaws shared. Professor Flitwick had started off with a quick rundown of the syllabus, what to expect from their first year of class, and then moved straight on to practical work. He had started them off with what should have been a simple levitation charm. About half the class were able to make their feathers move a bit, some even got it a few inches above the desk top. But Hermione had effortlessly floated her feather up to the ceiling on the first try.

That's when Theo took serious notice of the girl named Hermione Granger. Her hands moved gracefully through the air, but it was her wand that really caught his attention. Theo did a double take. He looked at the long ivory colored length of wood in her hand, then looked back to Draco next to him. His friend had a slight frown on his face and was concentrating on the feather he had managed to bring a foot off the tabletop.

"Class, if everyone could take a look at Miss Granger, you will see a perfectly executed Levitation Charm! Well done Miss Granger, 5 points to Ravenclaw. Pay special attention to her wand work, see how her movements are not forced, one smooth motion followed through effortlessly."

Professor Flitwick beamed down at his student, from his perch of books behind his podium. Granger returned a warm smile of delight back at his praise.

Theo's hand shot up into the air, catching the short professor's attention.

"Yes Mister Nott?"

Theo looked straight at Hermione, addressing her.

"Miss Granger, what kind of wand is that?"

Half the class looked up at this, many of them stopping what they were doing. It wasn't a taboo question to ask, not exactly, but a Wizard or Witches wand was still a personal matter. It was an extension of oneself. Attached and attuned to one's magical core.

Granger looked up at Theo, meeting his gaze for the first time. She looked between his two eyes, something Theo was use to. It was a trait of the Nott family, one blue eye, one brown. It showed his blood ran true. Just as the Malfoys had their silver white hair, and the Blacks had slate grey eyes with slanted cheekbones. She did not look offended by the question, though she did give a quick look around the room, noticing a few of the classes reaction.

"13 in a half inch Aspen with Dragon Heartstring. Why do you ask?"

Draco's head shot up at this.

"What!?" Draco's voice filled the room, which had gone silent.

Draco looked over to Granger, his gaze tracking over her body till it landed on her wand.

"Wand twins."

Theo spoke out loud without meaning to. The whole class looked up at this, everyone started talking at once.

"Quite down, I said quite!"

Professor Flitwick banged his hand on his podium getting everyone's attention.

"Now Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy, if you could both please come up here. If I could see your wands please."

Draco and Granger both walked up to the podium, raising up their wands to the Short Charms Professor. Draco did so while glaring at Granger.

"Aspen is quite rare as it is, but for both to be Dragon Heart String, and look! Even the design is the same."

He held up the two wands side by side, both sported the same cut and design, both 13 ½ inches, quite long as wands went.

"Hmmm, I wonder…"

Professor Flitwick handed the wands back to their owners.

"If you don't mind, there is something I would like to try."

Professor Flitwick hopped down from the stack of books he was perched on and corralled his two students to the middle of the classroom. He spoke in low tones to them, only to be interrupted once by Granger, loudly exclaiming, 'But that's second year..' before Draco interrupted her in hushed tones. Whatever he said seemed to have raised her hackles though, she glared back at the fair haired Slytherin. Theo was chomping at the bit, wishing he could hear what was being said. After a few moments, and the rest of the class not so subtly trying to listen in, Professor Flitwick had them stand 10 feet away from each other facing one another.

"Ok now on 3." And then he glanced at Draco, "At the same time, that's the whole point of this exercise after all."

Draco raised one eyebrow at his professor, looking indifferent. Though Theo knew he must be bristling at the implication that he might have cheated if given the chance. Slytherin house had a reputation after all. Professor Flitwick was the head of Ravenclaw, no doubt he worried about putting one of his own children at the end of a snake's wand. At the count of three both students raised their wands, performing a quick no nonsense flourish and yelling out 'Expelliarmus!'

A beam of light shot out from both white wands, connected, and held for 5 seconds, before both Draco and Granger fell backwards. Draco swearing "Bloody Hell!, and Granger fell silently, a small squeak escaping her lips when she made contact with the stone floor.

Professor Flitwick jumped up and down excitedly, moving to help Granger off the ground, while Theo and Blaise ran to Draco's side.

"Wand twins! Yes! Your cores come from the same dragon. Quite extraordinary!"

It WAS in fact quite extraordinary. Wandlore was a hobby of Theo's, Aspen truly was a rare wood, especially for a first wand. Most Aspen owners acquired the Aspen wand later in life, it was well known in dueling circles. And Dragon Heartstring spoke of a quiet strength. He wondered if Draco would let him contact Ollivander on his behalf to question him about the wands. Twin cores was rare, but to have twin wand wood, and designs, well that was unheard of to Theo.

The whole class had erupted at that, and from that moment forward Theo had been deeply intrigued by Hermione Granger, and that was the start of Draco's resentment of the Ravenclaw.

Luckily the next class of the day was Potions which the Slytherins shared with Gryffindor. Draco had stormed over to Neville Longbottom. His robes billowing behind him quite impressive for his small stature at the age of 11.

"Longbottom, get up, you're sitting with us!" Draco grabbed the chubby lions arm, making to drag him if necessary to the Slytherin side of the room.

A boy with messy black hair jumped up, moving to block them. Theo couldn't help but role his eye's. Potter of course. It was no surprise he had ended up in Gryffindor. Theo jumped in before things could get ugly, Draco and Potter had hated each other since the crib.

"Relax Potter, we just want a friendly chat."

Potter looked to Theo, opening his mouth with a reply, when Neville had interrupted him.

"It's alright Harry, it's no big deal."

Potter's eyebrows rose in surprise at this. "You sure Nev?"

"Yeah, they just got a few questions for me." Harry nodded, and stepped away, and Neville followed them back to their side of the room.

Professor Snape had made his entrance by then, his eyes scanning the room. They paused a moment on the unlikely trio at Theo's worktable, but he said nothing, and continued on with his lesson. Once his introduction was over, and he had them doing busy work that involved going through their potion ingredients, Theo turned to Neville.

"Congratulations are in order Longbottom."

Neville looked up at Theo in surprise, this was not how he had expected this conversation to start.

"Congratulations?" Neville questioned, startled and a bit suspicious.

Theo couldn't help but smirk. "Well yes, I thought for sure you would end up in Hufflepuff. I never had you pegged for a Lion. You surprised all of us."

Draco who was sat on the other side of the table, putting Neville between the both of them snorted, and cast a sideways glance at Neville as he pulled out a jar with Eye of Newt in it, to give it a look over. "Your Grandmother must be pleased as a Nibbler in a gold mine."

Neville looked between the two of them. Before sitting back in his chair with a loud sigh. "Yes, Gran is pleased, she was also in Gryffindor. My Mother had been a Gryffindor as well, I saw her photo up on the wall of past Prefects. It… It was nice." Nevilles eye's got a bit glassy at the confession.

Theo and Draco shared a look. Gryffindors and their bloody honesty and wearing their heart on their damn sleeves. Theo understood of course, he had found a photo of his own mother in the hall of trophies the night before himself. He hadn't cried about it though, and he sure as hell wasn't going to go around talking to people about it.

Theo let out a long sigh of his own. Longbottom came from a good family, but they had gone so soft. (All except his Harpy of a Grandmother that is) It frustrated Theo to no end whenever he had to interact with the boy. He wanted to shake him, teach him to behave properly.

"But that's not what either of you really want to talk about." Neville sat up straight and eyed Draco up. "You want to ask me about the girl."

Draco scowled immediately at Longbottom. Theo cast a look around, aware of Pansy Parkinson a table over with Millicent Bulstrode trying to listen in. "A little discretion boys."

All three moved their heads together. "Who is she, where did she come from, and how do you know her?"

Theo cast a disapproving eye towards Draco. Whenever he got riled up, he could be as bad as any Lion, his directness was unrefined and tactless, no matter if they had known Neville since they were all toddlers. He was too old to be slipping like this, and his father Lucius would not allow such behavior to go unpunished much longer. He would have to have words with Draco later.

"I haven't had a chance to have a class with her yet, but I have already heard tell through the grape-vine she is quite talented. Yes?"

Going through his ingredients as he spoke. He cast a quick glance Theo's way.

Theo nodded. "We had Charms with her just now. She was…. Quite impressive."

Neville smiled and continued to pair through his Valerian root, throwing aside leaves that were damaged or under-grown.

"Gran met her and her Father in Paris while she was getting fitted for Robes."

"So she is French?" Draco seemed slightly mollified, his family was of French descent after all.

Neville laughed. "No her Father is Russian, but they are both English citizens."

"My my, Ms. Granger certainly gets around the globe. Is this why we have never heard of her."

Draco put his eye of newt back and went to pick up a vial of Salamander hearts from his potions chest.

Neville looked up from his roots then, a calculating look in his eye, making Theo pause. "No, you have never heard of her before because she is Muggle Born."

There was a small sound of breaking glass as the glass vial Draco previously held, fell to the ground.

That had been 6 years ago now. Here they were finishing up their 6th year, and she stood top of their class, right above Theo. Year after year she had continued to be… Impressive. It had been surprising to Theo, and infuriating to Draco whose grades were right behind Theo's and Hers. But eventually they had come to the conclusion, just as there were True Wizards that were inept and barely had enough power to fill a teacup. Of course it made sense that every once in awhile mother nature would produce a competent Muggle born. A freak occurrence. She was the exception, not the rule. And there was the fact that she was female. Magic had always favored the fairer sex. She was a Witch, and witches had always been more powerful by and by than Wizards.

Yes she was an exception, and not just in power, but in how she comported herself. Graceful, eloquent, and soft spoken. Unless she was speaking to Draco that is. Then she had a tongue as sharp as any Snake that resided in the castle's dungeon. It was quite fun to watch at times. Especially that first year. Jinxes and Hexes lobbed at one another their 1st year had either out right failed or backfired spectacularly, anyone nearby usually suffering the consequences instead of either of them. Professor McGonagall had to sit them down and explain to them the mechanics of being wand twins before they blew up another classroom, or sent more students to the infirmary.

Theo knew of course, but never said anything. Twin wands were a rarity and he wasn't about to pass up a chance to study the phenomena up close. They could not harm each other, simple as that. Their wand cores were 2 parts of a whole. Draco could not cast a harmful spell at Granger, in the same fashion as he could not stab his own right hand whilst wielding the knife with his right hand.

The last notes of the song wrung out into the courtyard and Granger pulled her hands back and placed them on her lap. She sat like that for a while, looking down at her hands, lost in her own thoughts. After 5 minutes passed, Theo turned away to go back to the cold dungeons and leave her with her thoughts. He had only gotten 2 steps away when the music rang out soft and slow again. And then her voice...

"And I'd give up forever to touch you,

'Cause I know that you feel me somehow.

You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,

And I don't want to go home right now." (1)

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Luna had been slowly making her way through the castle, walking around the moonlight that shone through the schools high arched windows. Her thoughts were scattered and sleep just wouldn't come. Perhaps a cleansing ritual in her dorm was called for? Her roommates always came back covered in grey fogs of bad thoughts and impossible ideals that permeated to the farthest corners of the room. Luna had no idea how they managed to go to classes daily with such things weighing them down.

You would think a purifying bath in moonlight would help cleanse the bad energy away. But no, that didn't sit right with her tonight. So she carefully stepped around the moon beams and kept to the darkness.

As she wandered she heard a familiar sound. She followed the music, a smile slowly spreading across her lips. She had never heard the tune before, but the sound was Hermione. There was no mistaking it. No one else could sound like that. It was her.

She found her way to an open corridor that looked over the courtyard as the last notes of the song faded out. At the end of the hallway stood a boy, almost a man. Theodore Nott, a friend. He was cloaked in shadow and night, as he always was. Luna had always thought his name rang true. He was always calm and silent as the darkest night.

She almost called out to him, but no. It was a night for shadows, she had already felt that. Luna moved herself into the dark shade of an Archway and looked down to the courtyard to her other dear friend. Hermione sat, her head bowed. It was rare to see her like this. Luna would not interrupt her awake dreaming though, she needed it. The control she practiced daily in her life was impressive and complete. It was also stifling, the girl needed to learn to let go. She had been trying since they met, to varying degrees of success to teach her to let go, to just trust. But that was not Hermione's way.

There was a movement in the air, a building up. Luna could feel it, this was going to be good for her.

Luna looked up as she saw Theo move away, one final look cast to the girl below. This would be good for him too.

The notes were soft and unassuming, just a few keys, then came her voice. Delicate and bendable, waving through the air like the wisps of smoke off a potion. Luna watched as Theo stopped in his tracks, and then he turned back. In full moonlight now, Luna could see him clearly.

His mouth was parted slightly, his eyes wide and seeing, truly seeing for the first time. Oh he had always been a smart boy, and he saw clearer than most other students in this school. But her spell song had lifted the dark grey green vale from his eyes completely for the first time tonight. And Theo saw.

His mismatched eyes, looked down on Hermione, and he saw her, really saw her. And Luna could see the heartbreak in his eyes. Like a man who had only ever seen moonlight his whole life, being shown the sun for the first time.

"And I don't want the world to see me

'Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's meant to be broken

I just want you to know who I am"

Luna's breath caught in her throat. She looked down to the curly haired Witch. Oh Hermione. Her voice rose in pitch and her heart soul shone out for those four lines, and that's all it took. Looking back to Theo, Luna saw it, because Luna always saw. She saw everything.

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1: Please look up Kina Grannis cover of Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls on Youtube.

A very short First Chapter, but I wanted to get a feel for if people like this story or not. **Please review and let me know.** This will be a long one, update sporadically as I am currently re-writing everything I have so far, which is over 40k words. I decided to change a major plot point and it screwed everything up.

So a few things about this Alternate Reality my world takes place in, because I do not want to over explain things in the story, and have it get long/boring/confusing.

-Witches/Women are not exactly more powerful than Wizards, but Magic comes more natural and easier to them.

-The Magical world is a very Matriarchal Society. Women are not looked down on, married off, or treated as inferior. They hold more positions of Power than men.

-Pure Blood leanings are still a thing. Just not AS bad as in the original books. A person's Magical Power/Capacity level is always most important though.

Does anyone else use the Fanfic site App on their phone? Just checking because I practically live off it.


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